Words: Violet
Don’t you get bored of watching men kick a ball about in the rain? Hasn’t tennis become tiresome now that four men who are so much better than everybody else dominate it? If you feel this way don’t despair, here are five really cool sports that you won’t have heard of.
Sepak takraw
Imagine kung fu mixed with volleyball, mixed with football and you still don’t quite get there. Sepak takraw is native to Southeast Asia and is fused with the region’s appreciation of martial arts – the athleticism and dexterity needed to play the game is extraordinary and not seen in any Western sport.
Jai alai
This sport, which originated in the Basque region of Spain, is comparable to squash or rackets but much faster and much more dangerous. The hard ball or pelota used in the game frequently travels at speeds up to 170 mph – needless to say, this is a game only for those with the fastest reactions.
Chess Boxing
Perhaps the only sport to have been dreamed up by a comic book writer, chess boxing was a concept long before it was an actual regulated sport. It is exactly what it sounds like and competitors will play a round of chess and then fight a round of boxing until a knockout or a checkmate occurs.
Calcio Fiorentino
Calcio Fiorentino was invented in Florence in medieval times – the story goes that the city was under siege and the hungry and depressed inhabitants came up with the game to keep their spirits up. This is strange as the game is one of the most violent sports ever played. Two teams, each comprising of 27 men dressed in medieval clothes fight each other and try to place a ball in the opposition’s net – matches last for 50 minutes and, perhaps unsurprisingly, hospitalizations and even deaths are not uncommon.
Disk Golf
Any fan of the 90’s sitcom Seinfeld will already be familiar with disk golf or ‘frolf’ as George Costanza calls it. The game is heavily influenced by golf but rather than use golf clubs and a ball, practitioners throw a Frisbee. The whole concept seems ridiculous but it is the most popular – and fastest growing – sport on the list.
By Guy de Vito
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